What Would You Do if a Shark Appeared Mere Feet From Your Kid?

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It’s a parent’s worst nightmare. Imagine spotting a shark’s dorsal fin mere feet from where your daughter is swimming in the shallow water of the ocean. That scenario played out at Myrtle Beach for one family. The girl saw the fin and ran for shore, avoiding contact with the shark. But a later check of the video footage showed a frightening image of a shark’s fin emerging from the water just feet away from the girl.

The family in the video above were on vacation at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as they enjoyed the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The girl was on her bodyboard as her mother shot a video, which is how she managed to capture the moment on film. The girl won’t let her close call stop her from going back into the ocean. However, she says she’ll be sure to pay attention to her surroundings, which is exactly what the experts recommend.

What Types of Sharks Are Common at Myrtle Beach?

With the quick glimpse that we had, it’s hard to know what species of shark was in the video. However, we can take a look at what sharks live in the waters near the coast of Myrtle Beach and what sharks are likely to have been swimming close to shore.

Many shark species swim around the South Carolina waters. Some of the largest and most aggressive species include the great white shark, bull shark, and great hammerhead. Scientists have discovered that juvenile great white sharks, or pups, prefer to swim in warm, shallow water near the shore. Other smaller species of sharks that swim near Myrtle Beach include sandbar sharks, black nose, bonnethead, and finetooth sharks.

Why Would a Shark Swim Close to Shore?

Sharks prey on fish, sting rays, and turtles, following them into more shallow waters where humans may be swimming. Hunting is also easier for the sharks in shallow water since the prey has fewer places to go to get away. Finally, juvenile sharks have been found to prefer the warmer water of shallow coastal areas as they grow into adulthood and swim in shark nurseries near the coast.

How Common Are Shark Attacks at Myrtle Beach?

Since 1837, there have been 36 shark attacks in Horry County, where Myrtle Beach is located. Horry County is the 11th highest place in the U.S. for shark attacks.

Despite the media attention, shark attacks are rare. People are much more likely to drown while swimming in the ocean than to die from a shark attack. Even though it’s common for sharks and people to share the same swimming area, sharks rarely attack. It’s likely that most people never even know they were close to a shark.

In the above video, biologist George Burgess explains there is nothing unusual about swimmers encountering sharks near the beach. Shark sightings are up because more humans share the water with sharks than ever before. Myrtle Beach is a popular summer tourist destination with people flocking to it for water sports such as swimming, boating, parasailing, scuba diving, and jet skiing. And yet, while the density of humans to sharks has increased overall, attacks remain rare.

How to Survive (or Prevent) a Shark Encounter

The best way to survive a shark attack is to take steps to avoid shark encounters in the first place. Most of the time a shark attack comes from a shark making a mistake and thinking a person is prey. The following are expert tips for avoiding sharks:

• Never swim with sparkly or shiny jewelry. The sharks mistake shiny objects for the bright scales of fish.
• Pay attention to your surroundings.
• Swim in groups.
• Try to avoid making erratic movements in the water. If a shark sees you thrashing around, it may mistake you for a prey animal, such as a seal.
• Don’t swim at dusk or dawn when sharks are more active.
• Never go in the water when beach warnings for sharks are present.
• If you see a group of dolphins or fish feeding in an area, sharks are likely to be there hunting as well.

If you do find yourself face to face with a shark in the water, there are steps you can take to avoid getting bit. If you spot a shark, calmly swim away and get back to the shore. Don’t swim away rapidly while thrashing in the water, or the shark may mistake you for its dinner.

Often when a shark bites a human it realizes its mistake and swims away. But if a shark continues to attack you, it’s time to fight back. Use whatever you have, like your surfboard, diving equipment, or even your fists, to hit the shark in sensitive areas (eyes and gills). However, don’t start a fight with a shark. Fighting back is your last resort if the shark is currently biting you.